Las trampas de la historia

Christopher Clark's Sleepwalkers has become one of the most influential history books of this century: a radical rethinking of the origins of World War I that has had a huge impact on how we view the past and the present. For the many readers who enjoyed the narrative ability, style, and originality of Clark's writing, The Traps of History will be a well of surprises. Bringing together many of the author's major essays, he raises a series of questions about how we think about the past, and what are the value and pitfalls of history as a discipline. The book includes a series of writings on German themes: from studies of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the statesman Otto von Bismarck to the painful story of General Blaskowitz, a Prussian military man who accommodated himself to the horrors of the Third Reich. There's a fascinating essay on attempts to convert Jews to Christianity, as well as everything from Brexit and Donald Trump's presidency to the meaning of the battles. Perhaps the most important piece of the book is 'The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar', a reflection on the nature of political power throughout the ages that will become essential reading for anyone interested in the meaning of history.